Reflections on My Term as President

Dave Wegge, Board member

I have been part of Envision Greater Green Bay (originally Bay Area Community Council) off and on since its creation back in the early 1990s. It’s an organization that has delivered significant value to our community through research, white papers focusing attention on key community issues, and community-wide conferences. For the past two years I have had the pleasure of serving as the president of this organization.

Over the past few years our organization has taken a transformational journey, squarely shifting our focus to bringing Strategic Foresight tools and strategies to leaders and organizations throughout the Greater Green Bay area. That journey has moved us forward in significant ways, including:

• Development of a Three Horizon planning document for the organization

• Creation and implementation of Strategic Foresight Workshop training with our partner Garry Golden

• Establishment of a Foresight Network for workshop alumni

• Creation of Signals Teams that identify, monitor and report on key signals of change for our community

• Rebranding the organization into Envision Greater Green Bay

• Welcoming several new board members who bring vital knowledge and perspectives

• Substantially increasing our fund-raising efforts

• Hiring our first ever Executive Director, Steve McCarthy.

Whew!!! We’ve been busy and productive, but the transformation was actually initiated during the presidencies of Tom Schumacher and Fr. Paul Demuth. We owe Tom and Paul our sincere thanks for their courageous leadership as they shepherded the organization through the early phases of this process.

Tom, Paul and I would all agree that this significant transformation would never have happened without a strong, active and committed board of directors. Board development leaders will tell you that an effective nonprofit board has five key qualities: 1) a good mix of experiences and talents; 2) sincere passion for the mission and vision; 3) deep commitment to volunteering time and energy; 4) generous personal financial giving; and 5) strong vision and leadership. Over the past two years of my term as president it is clear to me that the Envision Board of Directors meets each of these qualities.

The leadership torch now passes into the competent hands of Phil Hauck as Board President and Steve McCarthy as Executive Director. Both Phil and Steve are widely known, talented and  experienced leaders in our community. These two leaders, along with the other staff and the Envision board, will take Envision to even greater heights, helping to ensure a future in which the Greater Green Bay area is a thriving community of choice.   

I want to thank Envision staff members Steve Herro and Lynn Gerlach for all of their assistance, and the  Envision Board of Directors for the opportunity to serve as their President for the past two years. Now, on to the future!